Fashion gets funky at 'Rocky Horror Picture Show'

Levon C. Ofgang

Published 4:26 pm, Thursday, October 10, 2013

Steven Taliaferro stands outside his Bethel, Conn. home, dressed as Eddie the zombie from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," on Friday, Oct. 4, 2013. The classic Halloween movie has garnered a cult following who dress up as the story's characters and act out certain scenes in the theaters.
Photo: Tyler Sizemore

Steven Taliaferro stands outside his Bethel, Conn. home, dressed as Eddie the zombie from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," on Friday, Oct. 4, 2013. The classic Halloween movie has garnered a cult following who dress up as the story's characters and act out certain scenes in the theaters.
Photo: Tyler Sizemore

Steven Taliaferro stands outside his Bethel, Conn. home, dressed as Eddie the zombie from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," on Friday, Oct. 4, 2013. The classic Halloween movie has garnered a cult following who dress up as the story's characters and act out certain scenes in the theaters.
Photo: Tyler Sizemore

Steven Taliaferro stands outside his Bethel, Conn. home, dressed as Eddie the zombie from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," on Friday, Oct. 4, 2013. The classic Halloween movie has garnered a cult following who dress up as the story's characters and act out certain scenes in the theaters.
Photo: Tyler Sizemore

Steven Taliaferro stands outside his Bethel, Conn. home, dressed as Eddie the zombie from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," on Friday, Oct. 4, 2013. The classic Halloween movie has garnered a cult following who dress up as the story's characters and act out certain scenes in the theaters.

Steven Taliaferro stands outside his Bethel, Conn. home, dressed as Eddie the zombie from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," on Friday, Oct. 4, 2013. The classic Halloween movie has garnered a cult following who dress up as the story's characters and act out certain scenes in the theaters.
Photo: Tyler Sizemore

Science fiction, a castle, out-there costumes and rockin' music: Who wouldn't be hooked on "The Rocky Horror Picture Show?"

Released in 1975, the film quickly garnered the mother of all cult followings and has enjoyed the longest continuous theatrical release in film history. Technically, its theatrical release has never ended.

The film's famous midnight screenings (traditionally held at midnight, but these days often earlier) take place across the country each year around Halloween.

Die-hard "Rocky Horror Picture Show" fans dress up for screenings, shout lines at the film and bring props, including rice, bread and squirt guns. Fans say the experience is about far more than just the film. It's a chance to come together and let their wacky, weird and wild sides run free.

Steven Taliaferro, of Bethel, has been a fan of "Rocky Horror" ever since he rented it from a library about seven years ago. "I like the uniqueness of it; it's just fun," he said. "The plot, the characters, it's all out there. There is, like, no sense involved whatsoever. I can't think of any other movie where you get to yell out jokes to the screen and everyone knows the script by heart."

Taliaferro has attended screenings in full costume. He has an old leather jacket in his closet, which he wears with jeans and black shoes; he does his own makeup.

This year Taliaferro, an actor, is appearing in a production of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" at Trinity-on-Main in New Britain. The show opened this weekend and runs through Oct. 26.

"The Rocky Horror Picture Show" is directed by Jim Sherman and is based on "The Rocky Horror Show," a musical written and composed by Richard O'Brien. The film features Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick and Meat Loaf.

Initially, the film was a dud. Then, in the spring of 1976, the first midnight showing took place at the Waverly Theater in New York City and the phenomenon was born. By September of that year, fans started shouting back to the screen, and by 1977, fans started bringing props to screenings.

The film's cult following continues to spread to new generations. Emily Rose, 17, of Danbury, discovered the film after noticing it was mentioned in the 2012 movie, "The Perks of Being a Wallflower." Though an avid fan of the film, Rose is what she and other "Rocky Horror" lovers refer to as a midnight showing "virgin," meaning she's not yet seen in the film in costume. She plans on changing that by going to the screening at the Palace Danbury on Oct. 26.

She anticipates the experience will make her feel like she's part of the film.

Rose, who will be dressing as the character Magenta, made her own costume. "I have a black dress, paired with a white apron and stockings, and in order to pull off Magenta's crazy hair, I have a curly wig that mirrors the character's," she said. "Also, I am going to do my own makeup in the dramatic way she does hers."

She said she was drawn to Magenta because the character reflects some aspects of her personality.

"Sometimes, my inner `nutcase' comes out and reflects Magenta. Honestly, there are points when I laugh uncontrollably during some inappropriate times, as she does too. Also, Magenta reminds me of myself because she really could care less about what anyone thinks of her," Rose said. "On the flip side, I'm not like Magenta because I am not quite as psycho as she is, and also I've never served my friends dead bodies for dinner, which Magenta happily did."

Lysa Molnar, 52, grew up in Danbury, and discovered "Rocky Horror" after reading about a midnight screening in the 1970s. Molnar's birthday is Oct. 23, and her mom took her to her first midnight screening to celebrate. Molnar was hooked.

"I don't actually dress up as a character," said Molnar, who will see the movie again this year. "What I wear is a compilation of clothes that would fit in as though I were an extra in the cast. I have a hat like Columbia, a purple-and-black corset, purple feather boa, black-and-white satin and lace vampire gloves and a black see-through cape. And, of course, lots of lipstick!"

Molnar said she loves the fact that it's so bizarre and that the people who attend are so involved in participating. She added, "it isn't `just a movie,' it's an actual `experience.' There is nothing passive about attending `The Rocky Horror Picture Show.' "

Taliaferro expressed a similar sentiment.

"I like how there's a feeling of community with things like the midnight shows," he said. "You can come dressed in drag and say irrelevant jokes only they would get, and nobody in the circle would give you a weird look or write you off as a weirdo."

"The Rocky Horror Picture Show" will be shown at the Palace Theatre in Danbury on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 9 p.m.; the Warner Theatre in Torrington on Friday, Oct. 18, and Saturday, Oct. 19, at 11 p.m; and at the Mohegan Sun on Friday, Oct. 25, at 11:45 p.m.